rather than making vague, well-intended new year’s resolutions i’ve decided to do that 101 things in 1001 days challenge. i’ve started (but never completed) this challenge in the past but i’m excited to try again.

the criteria for the 101 things is that the must be specific with a result that is measurable or clearly defined. they should also be things that require a some effort or work on my part. some of the things my list may seem super simple but hopefully they’ll kick off good habits that will stay with me longer than the 1001 days.

also i don’t want to jinx things for 2016 because well, we’re only 7 days in, but so far i haven’t hated it.

for my heart

1. reconnect with my favorite high school teacher
2. reconnect with a friend from cardiff/london ysa
3. journal every day for 2 months
4. create a vision board
5. work/collab/do SOMETHING with chloe
6. attend the ballet
7. finish drawing of denham green garden
8. have a painting done of harlow

for my soul

9. attend the temple every week for 8 weeks
10. complete 10 days of truth
11. commit 50 scriptures to memory
12. subscribe to ensign magazine
13. read reread all general conference talks from the last three years
14. read scriptures every day for at least 30 days

for my mind

15. learn to play one song on the piano
16. read 50 new books
17. answer the 50 questions that will free your mind
18. complete the 52 lists
19. take a photography class
20. take an online class
21. take some kind of art class
22. use duolingo every day for at least one month

for those i love

23. mail a care package to my mom, brother and sister
24. send my grandmother flowers for no reason
25. make chat books for my nanny kids
26. bake a birthday cake for someone
27. get harlow’s shots each year (2016, 2017, 2018)
28. make macarons for someone
29. get harlow’s teeth cleaned
30. make a music playlist for someone

for my blog

31. design (or have designed) a blog logo
23. reach 100k followers on pinterest
33. create a weekly blog series and stick to it for at least 4 months
34. meet 10 blogger friends (that i haven’t already met)
35. interview 6 people for a blog series
36. get business cards for my blog
37. complete a 30 day photo challenge
38. hit 2k followers on twitter
39. combine fb accounts and delete old one
40. take a blogger/social media workshop or conference
41. participate in 6 ‘Roid Weeks
42. blog four recipes

for fun

43. pay for the person behind me in a drive-thru
44. visit the ban.do party house
45. attend high school reunion
46. attend or organize some type of mission reunion
47. make a flower crown
48. build a sandcastle
49. go on a blind date
50. use up a roll of film and get photos printed
51. go to a sporting event
52. go to an outdoor movie
53. start and fill up a sketch book

for a simpler life

54. go one month without eating out
55. produce zero waste for two weeks
56. do 8 zero waste shopping trips
57. go two months without buying any beauty products
58. create a capsule wardrobe
59. unsubscribe from all junk emails
60. clear out and get rid of storage unit
61. go through/clear out items stored at my mom’s house
62. go one month without shopping

for my wandering heart

63. visit a state i’ve never been to
64. visit england and wales
65. visit portugal
66. visit new york
67. take a road trip with a friend
68. attend paris fashion week
69. spend a day at butterfly beach

for my health

70. get new health insurance
71. compile my own cookbook
72. do a raw diet for one month
73. go to the eye doctor
74. find (and go to) a doctor for a physical
75. run a mile without walking
76. lose (xx) pounds
77. do 20 push-ups every day for one month
78. give up soda for at least two weeks
79. floss every day for at least 30 days
80. go to the dentist
81. take a class at dash fitness
82. find a workout i love and stick to it for at least 3 months

while i do like sitting down and making resolutions it can sometimes make me feel like i’m beating myself over the head with “you didn’t do this”, “you should have done this”, “you should have done this”, “you should have done more of…” you get the picture. so before i sit down and make new goals i thought i’d try to think of some things that i’ve been doing that i want to continue. it’s a short list but it’s a good place to start.

i am sleeping better

i’m still trying with my family

harlow is alive and healthy and happy

i am getting better at asking for what i need and saying no to what i don’t

i’ve been spending more time praying and meditating

i’ve been working hard and going to therapy and i think it’s starting to pay off a little.

“i wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? and then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.'” lewis carroll

if you know me at all then you know how much i dread winter. it’s too cold and too dark and as soon as the snow starts falling i feel trapped.

yesterday it snowed and snowed all day. and you know what? i didn’t hate it. i mean, don’t get me wrong, i didn’t love it but it was kind of pretty and refreshing. but more than that i think the lack of snow tears are a good sign for me personally. putting the effort into my emotional health has been work but i’m definitely in a different (better) place than i was even a year ago. so i’m giving snow a little credit for this reminder.

this summer has been crazy. i moved then i moved again. i’ve driven back and forth across the western u.s. and have been bed-less for the last two months.

but i feel good. maybe the stress of moving has blocked out everything else, i don’t know, but i have been pretty happy. i don’t know if i feel like my “old” self but i feel like a new self… and i like it.

beatrix potter fell in love with the lake district and in 1905 bought hill top, a 17th-century farmhouse. everything from the cottage itself to the garden, which is described as a “haphazard mix of flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables” sounds completely charming.

i’ve only been to the lake district once the first time i was in england but my silly 18 year old self was too cool for things like cottages… or maybe we just ran out of time. i don’t really remember but i would love to visit it the next time i’m in the great britain.

i just love chelsea’s blog and especially her travel posts. but this post (and a crummy morning at work) got me looking to see if i could find any great deals overseas. i have some friends in england, france, holland, prague and germany and since i didn’t have any set dates i needed to stick to i just looked and looked and looked using various sites and airlines and dates and i found an amazing deal.

i could fly from los angeles to norway in november for $344. round trip. after taxes. non stop! i can barely fly from salt lake city to santa barbara for that much. anyway then from norway i can take norwegian, or easy jet or bmi to connect within europe. i’m super excited!

i should say that that wonderfully inexpensive ticket doesn’t include any checked bags or meals, but still. i’m a pro at packing snacks and have a very large purse so i should be all set.

you should definitely check out all of chelsea’s tips for finding good deals on airfare. do you have any tips for finding great deals on flights? where are you dying to go? photos: thomas preyer